Leaderboard

The picture below represents the starting point for the next phase which includes finishing off the conveyor systems and the buildings and starting work on the scenics as well as the excavation for the conveyor pits. I used the theme board as a back which sets the model off nicely but the light reflecting is something to look at next time. The picture below shows the problem with conveyor 3 going into the drying tower where I didnt get the angles quite right. Just going to do some adjustment now to the length of the conveyor as I dont want the drying tower much closer to the northern boundary which is already installed on the layout. The plastruct has worked well and the bit bashing for the conveyor head I think looks alright. so pleased with the look. Final Adjustments next and glue together. The northern and eastern boundarys are shown in the next 3 shots which is effectively an angled scalsecenes warehouse screened by fencing and a hedge line. The reason for showing these is that one of the next jobs will be the hedge line along the front which needs to blend into the existing scenery when the model is installed on the layout although that wont be until the model has its show. Not sure how the model will look with that boundary missing on it but I cant show the whole layout so it will just have to look like a model for the moment with no back or sides. I have installed some track which you can see in the next shots along the front and sides, I think a couple of wagons will set the scene off nicely so worth doing. Unfortunately my RMC Hopper wagons won't be ready as I wont have time before the show to get these done. (The weather forecast for the weekend though is interesting, maybe there may be some time instead of leaf clearing in the garden ?) The track was stuck down onto a bed of PVA and then gaugemaster grey ballast sprinkled over the top. In the final pictures I've not checked what has and hasn't stuck yet, If it looks like a lot then I may use a dilute PVA mix to finsih it off. Not sure yet as it only needs to last for one evening. Been putting off building two of the smaller buildings on site for ages, completed these now using scalescenes brick paper, Cereal box card for the structures and some card for the flat roofs, Not entirely happy but need to see how these look in the overall scheme. You can see these in situ in the photo below I have installed the doors, windows and the rails for the control building, Scalescenes doors, Black painted plastic for the windows (paint inside) and some plastruct around as frames. As before the pastruct was very easy to work with. using standard Humbrol precision poly glue and its fine. ( No direct pictures of this so will be shown in next installment) Started work on the scenics as I wanted to get the sand piles and hedge/Fence line in place before final fitting of the buildings. Used mixture of woodland scenics olive and light green foliage, Grass mix and had a go with my WWS grass master (not very successfully) but this has created a reasonable hedge, fence line, The Fence needs posts which I'll add later but is using sanded clear plastic as per Nigel Burkin in BRM? This will have trees, I'm going to make my own for this section from wire as the majority are Silver birch's which have just taken root and are growing straight up. Will use Woodland scenics foliage though to retain consistency with the rest of the layout (job for the weekend) The sand piles are just the foamboard covered in PVA and sprinkled with different materials to give some variety. These will probably need another coat to finish them off. The first and last pictures represent work to date, Took the photo's in the garden which is a massive improvement in quality and colour. As ive said before once the layout is complete then I will set up outside in the summer to get some really good shots. Helps using the camera and not the Iphone but does go to show how important good light is.

Evening. Well the GLR Px48 kits arrived from Shapeways on Monday courtesy of UPS. I'm impressed with the kits and Richard has done a good job of capturing the shape of a Px48 well. On examination there's a little 'stepping' from the print process on the rear of the tender but generally everything is crisp and forms a blank canvas to add the detail to. There's going to be a lot of it as well. The kit comes as three parts with the smokebox and running plate forming one of the prints, then the cab and boiler and finally the tender print. The HOe version is designed to fit the Graham Farish 8F chassis and it is a good fit with room to add plenty of weight. The tenders will run on Liliput HOe bogies when they arrive from the 009 Society Members Shop. The pictures below are a couple of quick shots taken on my mobile this evening with the smokebox and boiler pushed together. Both the locos I'm modelling have a few variations on the Px48 theme so I've started to modify the kits to represent the prototype. On the boiler print there are skirts in front of the firebox either side which I've removed opening this area up a bit more. Firstly, Px48-1784 pictured in the link below doesn't have recessed handrails on the tender so I've started filling the recess with Revell filler. It has the raves on the bunker sides too. http://www.tabor.wask.pl/egzemplarz.php?&id=50708 The second loco is being modelled as Px48-1919 and has recessed handrails on the tender sides but no raves. Here's the prototype: http://www.tabor.wask.pl/egzemplarz.php?&id=50754&foto=914#opzdj On this tender I've cut of the moulded raves on the with a scalpel before sanding to a smooth finish with various files. A close up of the tenders together as well: There's a bit more work to do before giving the kits a coat of Halfords filler primer, then sanding and priming with plastic primer before adding the detail. More soon. Cheers, Mark

Well not actually tiles but a big box of white 'Art Straws'. Plan is to colour them. split down the middle and snip to size then scatter liberally in and around the building. OK first problem - how to colour them. After a couple of experiments the Colron wood dye worked the best to soak them but the one I have is far too brown. Have actually just had a moment of inspiration - years ago I bought three tins of bright coloured wood dye fom a wooden toy that never got used. I remember seeing two of them in the cellar the other day. What colours are there though. If one is red I can mix it with the brown - will have to look later. How to get the colour on inside and outside of straw. Yes I know, the obvious way is to suck it up but I am not going to use my mouth! Unless I can find a suitable, long thin container I might have to work out some other suction device. Will probably make up some sort of a jig to get them all the same size. Unfortunately the straws also arrived with the bits to mend the kitchen tap and some urgent real work so not much has been done on this or the ad for the end of the building. One thing that always amazes me is how late people leave ordering things for Christmas - it is not as if you don't know when it is (you can be forgiven for Easter catching you unawares though!). Work is work though so can't really complain! More thanks for the really good suggestions for where to look for pictures of painted adverts - some real lateral thinking going on here and have found some great buildings that could well get used.

Hi again, some news from the M-K & Eastern RR. I just finished a painting that I made that depicts the harbour of my layout at night. This one is acrylic on canvas and is 12" x 16". I just have to do some "regular" paintings sometimes. Source: The M-K & Eastern RR Harbour branch